White Sox President Eddie Einhorn, with the club in...

July 31, 1989|By Alan Solomon, Chicago Tribune.

ANAHEIM — White Sox President Eddie Einhorn, with the club in Anaheim, said Sunday he shared Jerry Reinsdorf`s discomfort with trading Harold Baines but also shared in the conclusion that something had to be done.

``We`re leading the league in hitting, we`re last in pitching and defense and we`re in last place,`` said Einhorn. ``It`s right there.``

- Fletcher, who is wearing No. 7, was hardly in the Sox clubhouse Saturday when coach Walt Hriniak grabbed him and started talking hitting. Sunday, when Fletcher was in the cage, Hriniak was there. ``I`ve heard about Walt, and I agree with what he`s trying to teach,`` said Fletcher, who studied with Charlie Lau during his first tour with the Sox.

- The trading deadline is Monday, and there are faint ripples that the Gary Pettis-Dave Gallagher deal may not be stone dead after all. But the Tigers would first have to sign Pettis, who could be a free agent after the season, to a contract extension. Pettis reportedly rejected a Sox offer of two years at a token raise over his current $440,000 per.

- Manager Jeff Torborg, on an observation that Sox outfielders play deeper than any other outfield in the league: ``We`ve got to (because of) our lack of speed on defense.``

- Greg Walker`s string of consecutive starts ended at two Sunday. With left-hander Chuck Finley starting for California, Torborg started Carlton Fisk at DH and rested Walker. Reason: Fisk came in 7 for 18 against Finley with two doubles and two homers; Walker was hitting .176.

- Torborg was thrown out of Saturday night`s loss by first-base umpire Tim Welke for protesting a call in the first inning. Welke also was the umpire who, on Friday, called a trap on a ball Torborg thought Gallagher had caught. ``There was a little ill feeling, I think, from the night before,`` Torborg said.